The Future of Dexter and Weeds

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Showtime's execs talk about how much longer Dexter Morgan could keep killing.

By Eric Goldman

At the Television Critics Association press your today, I asked Showtime's President of Entertainment Robert Greenblatt about Showtime's decision to give multiple season renewals to Dexter and Weeds -- Weeds is renewed through Season 6, and Dexter through Season 5 -- and whether that could potentially mean those shows will end after those respective seasons. Said Greenblatt, "I don't think that portends the end of either." Noting they were the most successful series on Showtime, Greenblatt said he couldn't conceive of a scenario where they wouldn't want to renew them after their next seasons, so it was decided to simply make the commitment now, but that didn't mean they couldn't be renewed beyond that.

Greenblatt said he felt Weeds was very revitalized by the changes made this past season, which changed the setting of the series. However, he noted, "Dexter is really tricky to sustain and every year we scratch our heads as to, 'Now what do we do with him?' It will be tricky to keep that show running forever." However, he said he'd like to see Dexter and Weeds go as long as they both are creatively vital.

Asked if he could talk about the plot to Dexter: Season 4 at all, Greenblatt replied, "I probably wouldn't if I could, but I couldn't." Joked Matt Blank, Showtime's Chairman and CEO, "Someone will die!" More seriously, he remarked, "The writers haven't come back yet, to figure out what that is that will play out." Noting that Season 3 ended with Dexter marrying Rita, and expecting a baby, he said, "Whether it's Rosemary's baby, I don't know, but they haven't really started to figure that out."